


Nearly Forever

by WindOfTheWillows17



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: HPFT, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-07-12 02:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7081990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindOfTheWillows17/pseuds/WindOfTheWillows17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teddy's been busy tracking down one of Europe's most dangerous criminals, but when the trail runs cold and Teddy is taken off the case, he tries to focus on more important things in life. The last thing anyone expects is the unexpected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nearly Forever

The night was eerily calm as a full moon hung high in the velvet sky casting its light down over the sleepy hamlet of Bayvil, Wales. The stars danced and twinkled as they tried to complete for their place in the sky against the greedy moon. The air was crisp and a faint breeze drifted along the street making the stranger, who was crouched down behind the rubbish bins, shiver. His eyes were still firmly fixed on the pub across the street.

Teddy pulled his cloak closer to him as he rubbed his hands together trying to warm them. He could have always cast a charm to warm himself up, but he had been on this assignment for two weeks and didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize an opportunity to apprehend his suspect if the chance arose. 

The man he waited and watched for was Fletch Rogers. Fletch was a notorious murderer throughout Europe. He was wanted in five different countries for various murders of local Ministry employees. Rumors suggested that he'd crossed the channel to make a name for himself and rise up to power. Something that hadn't happened in the United Kingdom in almost twenty years. 

Teddy shifted his weight and continued to focus on the door of the pub through the small crack between the rubbish bins. 

Just then, a cat hopped up onto the curb in front of him making Teddy jump in alarm. 

"Damn it Rafferty!" He whispered loudly at the cat as he clutched his chest. "You nearly gave me heart failure!"

The cat flicked its tail and rubbed its body up against the exposed side of the bin. When Rafferty went to step down off the curb, he lost his balance and stumbled.

Teddy smirked. "Still not used to your animagus form huh?"

The cat hissed and gave him a fleeting look as the door to the pub opened and three men staggered out. They slowly made their way down the sidewalk to the opening of an alley way. When Teddy looked down to where Rafferty was, he noticed the cat was gone and saw him quickly following the men as they turned the corner.

Teddy promptly disillusioned himself and headed across the street. When he turned the corner, he made sure he walked as quietly as he could. The charm may have been able to hide him from his adversaries, but it couldn't quell the sound of his squeaky trainers. 

He threw himself up against the wall as the shorter of the three men paced the alley as he spoke. 

"We're going to have a tough time getting you in there." He informed Fletch.

His companion agreed with him. "Yes, it will be tough especially with the near impossible enchantments they have placed on it."

"Well I don't care what it takes!" Fletch roared at the other two cowered at his words. "I have to get in there and when I do, they will all pay the price."

'Cryptic' Teddy thought as he began to inch closer to the three of them. He knew that the more information he obtained, the better the code crackers back at the Ministry would be able to figure out what Fletch's ultimate plan really was.

"How are you going to even get in there without being seen?" The shorter man asked Fletch.

He rubbed his stubbled chin and thought for a moment. "Do you still have the juice?" He asked his quiet associate. 

He nodded.

"Well then lets use it and cause the Ministry some grief shall we?" He asked them both as he rubbed his hands together maliciously.

Teddy cringed at the contorted, happy features of Fletch Rogers as he contemplated apprehending the man. He knew it was futile to try and capture him when he had his two accomplices with him, but he was going to try nonetheless. He inched forward to allow himself a better shot and he began to raise wand.

Suddenly, and without warning, a loud 'bang' reverberated around the alley and off the brick walls around them. Rafferty had tried to move forward to hear better, but stumbled and ran into the bin next to him head first. Three small 'pops' followed and the men that had just been standing there in the alleyway with them, were now gone. 

As the sound of their disappearance faded, Teddy undisillusioned himself as Rafferty transformed back into his human form. 

"Shit!" Teddy yelled in anger as his hair began to change to a violent red hue. "We were this close!" He continued holding up his hands to indicate less than two inches between them. "This close!"

"I'm sorry." Rafferty expressed. "I am not use to having four legs and a tail. It will take a little bit of time for me to get use to Ted." He finished with a chuckle.

Teddy's eyes turned to narrow slits as he made his way to Rafferty and grabbed ahold of his collar, throwing him up against the wall. 

"Whoa, whoa whoa." Rafftery said as he held up his hands.

"Don't. Call. Me. TED!" He growled.

"I-I-I'm sorry." Rafferty stuttered out his apology. 

Teddy let go and walked over to the bin that Rafferty had run into and kicked it as hard as he could. It echoed off the walls, but hid the 'crack' that announced Teddy's departure of the scene.

***

The next day, Teddy arrived at the Ministry later in the morning than he had intended. When he arrived at the Auror Department, he walked briskly down the long, polished hallway to Harry's office at the end. When he reached the door he knocked firmly and waited.

"Enter." Called Harry's calm voice. 

Teddy turned the burnished handle and pushed the heavy oak door forward. Harry looked up as he walked in. It was obvious to Teddy that Harry was in the middle of finishing up a letter when he sat his quill down. 

"Have a seat." Harry suggested as he gestured to the two chairs in front of him. "I will just be a minute. I need to finish this letter." He informed him picking the quill back up and continuing to write.

Teddy nodded his understanding and sat down looking around Harry's office as the sound of the quill scratching the parchment filled his ears. The walls were covered in maps filled with tiny pins indicating the whereabouts of known fugitives. Some of the maps also contained pictures of moving suspects barring their teeth or threatening to cast a spell with their wand. In the corner closest to Harry's desk, Teddy saw Fletch Rogers' eyes peering out from underneath his fedora.

Harry looked up at Teddy again and began to roll the parchment up. "What happened last night?" He questioned. "Rafferty was in here this morning demanding that I switch him partners and he said you roughed him up."

Teddy rolled his eyes. "We were waiting on Fletch to come out of the pub and once he did we pursued him and his accomplices. I was just getting ready to apprehend him when Rafferty ran into the bin and spooked the three of them." He said informatively. And I didn't 'rough' him up! I just grabbed him by the collar and pushed him up against the wall."

"He's not used to his animagus for then?" Harry inquired with a small smile. 

Teddy smirked. "No apparently not."

"So was it just that Fletch got away that caused you to act out like this or was there something else that Rafferty did?" Harry interrogated Teddy.

"Well," Teddy began uncomfortably. "He did call me Ted." He explained feeling uneasy.

When Teddy was younger he lived with his Gran until his third year when she passed on from Dragon Pox. She had always called him Ted after her late husband -his namesake- who died in the war that also took Teddy's parents, Remus and Nymphadora. Ever since his Gran's passing, Teddy has never allowed anyone to refer to him as Ted.

Harry nodded his understanding as everything had finally made sense. 

Teddy knew that Harry of all people would understand, but he also felt lousy because Harry was always put in a tough position when it came to him. Not only was he Teddy's boss, he was also his godfather too. He didn't want there relationship to get in the way of his job or any reprimand that he may receive for acting out the way he did with Rafferty.

"Here's what we're going to do." Harry advised him as he stood up and walked around the front of his desk and leaned up against it. "I am taking you off the case since it's currently cold. I want you to take few days off so you can have a chance to relax and spend some time with Victoire. If I catch a a hot lead, I will bring you back in immediately. Sound good?" He asked as his eyes met Teddy's.

Teddy nodded. He hadn't thought about Victoire or the possibility of getting the chance to spend her birthday with her tomorrow because of this case. Now that he needed to wait for Harry to bring in back in once the trail grew warm, the possibilities seemed endless. The only trouble is he needed someone to help him.

Teddy stood from the chair and shook Harry's hand. "Do you know if Ginny's home?"

Harry smiled and checked his watch." She should be since it's her short day and almost lunch time."

Teddy's stomach growled and Harry chuckled. 

"Well maybe I will stop by and see her then. It's been far to long and I am sure she's been bugging you to ask me to stop in." Teddy confided as he walked to the door.

Harry nodded. "Yes, she has. But if I didn't know any better I would say that you just wanted a free lunch." He ascertained as he softly chuckled.

Teddy grinned as he got to the door and turned around. "Come on Harry you know me better than that!" He informed him laughing as he reached for the handle of the door and disappeared behind it.

 

 

***

Ginny had just gotten home from work and was bustling about the kitchen making a lunch of fish and chips when she heard a knock on the door. 

"I wonder who that could be?" She pondered as she cleaned her hands off with the towel that had been draped over her shoulder. She tossed it down onto the counter as she stepped out of the kitchen and down the hallway to the door. When she opened the door, Teddy was standing on the front step.

"Teddy!" She yelled excitedly and threw her arms around him and enveloping him in her hug as he gently patted her back.

"Oh my goodness! It is so good to see you! How have you been? How's work?" Ginny questioned him rapidly.

It had been months since she had seen him last and since he was like son to her, it was obvious why she would ramble on with her questions and forget her manners. 

Teddy stood on the step stunned with the rapid fire questions that Ginny asked not knowing where to start.

"I'm sorry." Ginny apologized. "Perhaps you would like to come in and have lunch with me?" 

Teddy's stomach gave another loud growl as Ginny laughed and held the door open allowing him to come inside Number 12. The smell of fish and chips invaded his nostrils the moment the door closed behind him. 

"It smells delicious Ginny." He complimented her. He knew that she learned her cooking from her mother, Nana Weasley, had been the best cook Teddy's ever known. 

When they got to the kitchen, Ginny plated their food as Teddy took a seat at the table. Ginny carried the plates over and set Teddy's down in front of him. "Would you like water or juice with that?"

"Water will be fine." He replied simply as he picked up a piece of battered fish and popped it in his mouth.

Ginny set her plate down on the table and brought over two glasses of water. She sat down across from Teddy and picked up her napkin and smoothed it out across her lap. "So how's work going?" She inquired.

"Well," Teddy began thoughtfully. "I may have, sort of, roughed up my partner yesterday, but now I'm off the case since it went cold."

Ginny chuckled as she drew a chip up to her mouth. "So what are you going to do now while you wait for a lead?" She wondered.

"I am suppose to be taking a few days to relax and spend some time with Victoire. Tomorrow's her birthday and I really want to make it one that she'll always remember." He explained to her as he finished up the last of his fish and took a long sip of water.

"What do you have in mind for her birthday?" She inquired as she finished eating the last of the chips on her plate. 

Teddy dug around in his pocket and pulled out a small ring box and set it down on the table between him and Ginny.

Ginny squealed with delight. "Awe, Teddy! Can I open it?" She politely asked him.

"Of course." Teddy replied simply amused with Ginny.

She carefully took the small box in her hands and opened the lid slowly. Inside was a stunningly beautiful, three diamond ring set in white gold. 

"It's beautiful!" She told him with a smile as she looked up from the ring. She closed it back up and set it back down where Teddy had put it. "Did you talk to Bill yet?"

Teddy nodded. "Yes. I talked to him about this almost a month ago and told him that I was going to wait until her birthday."

"Well," she started as she thought about her niece marrying Teddy. "Give me the details!"

They both laughed. 

"I am planning on taking her to Hogsmeade since that was her favorite place when we were in school. I was also thinking of asking Madam Rosmerta if she would be willing to lend us a private room at the 'Three Broomsticks' for dinner." He explained his plans to her as he put the ring back in his pocket.

"Leave it to me!" Ginny told him.

"Really?" He inquired and smiled.

Ginny nodded. "Yes, really! Victoire is my niece and you are my son. I would do anything to help you two! I will go ahead and talk to Madam Rosmerta and get everything decorated for you. All you have to worry about is remembering to bring the ring!" 

Teddy stood up and walked around to the other side of the table. "Thank you for such a lovely lunch and for being such a loving person." He leaned down to Ginny and hugged her. 

"You're very welcome my dear!" She replied fondly as she hugged him back.

***

The next day arrived just like any other day had, but it moved by with such speed that the nerves Teddy had building in him throughout the day were now threatening to overwhelm him. 

He was in the bathroom finishing getting ready for tonight's date he had with Victorie. "Shit!" He shortly declared as he tried with all his might to control the shaking in his hands long enough to tie his tie. 

A soft knock tapped on the door as Victoire called out to him. "Teddy are you almost ready?"

"Yes, I'll be out in a moment!" He called back to her. 

'Damn it!' He thought as his hands continued to shake. He tried one more time to tie it, but finally ended up admitting defeat and threw the tie onto the floor. He slowly opened the bathroom door and saw Victorie standing there patiently smiling at him.

She was dressed in a dark blue, floor length gown that appeared to have thousands of tiny diamonds that sparkled and twinkled as she moved. 

"You look absolutely amazing!" Teddy told her as he held out his arm for her.

"Thank you!" She blushed and wrapped her arm around his.

He smiled at her. "Are you ready?"

She nodded back simply.

With a simple turn of the heel, Teddy disapperated holding on to Victoire and leading her to their destination. 

When they arrived on the High Street of Hogsmeade, the sun was just starting to set casting a red glow over the village.

The door to the 'Three Broomsticks' opened as Madam Rosmerta waved fondly at the pair as they walked towards her.

"Welcome dears! Come in, come in! Don't you two just look so dapper!" She eagerly told them.

They crossed the threshold hand in hand.

"Right this way you two!" She called back to them as they walked down the hallway to the inn's more private rooms. She stopped and slowly opened the door to their right.

The room was lit with hundreds of tiny candles all warmly welcoming them. Pictures of them as a couple lined the back wall of the room next to the window. The floor was littered with thousands of rose petals that gave the room a lovely aromatic scent. In the middle there was a small table set just for two with a single red rose in a crystal vase.

'Ginny did a brilliant job!' Teddy thought to himself as he let go of Victoire's hand. She walked over by the window that was slightly open and looked fondly at all the memories displayed of the two of them.

Teddy whispered to Madam Rosmerta and she smiled patting him on the arm. "I'll be right back with your drinks." She told him fondly.

Teddy walked over to Victoire as she turned to him and smiled. She leaned against his chest as he kissed her forehead softly. "I have something I want to ask you." He confessed, but before he could do anything, Madam Rosmerta was back with their drinks.

She handed them out to the couple and backed out of the room brightly in order to give them some privacy. 

"As I was saying," Teddy began as he set his glass down on the table and taking Victoire's from her and setting it down next to his. He rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a small box and opened it. "Victoire," He began as he took her dainty hand in his and bent down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

She let out an audible gasp as her hands drew up to her face in surprise and her eyes welled with tears of joy. "Yes!" She exclaimed happily as Teddy stood up and slid the ring on her finger. 

She examined it has he hugged her. She was happy that their life was officially beginning together. She moved forward in order to kiss him, but as soon as there heads moved together and their lips touched, a soft knock thumped at the door. 

"Just ignore it." Teddy said as he leaned in and passionately kissed Victoire. 

The knocking on the door had now become more rapid; frantic. Then it stopped.

Teddy let go of Victoire as he made his way slowly over to the door.

Suddenly and without warning, the door was blown off its hinges. The power of the curse created a cloud of dust that engulfed the room and putting out many of the candles. 

Teddy and Victoire backed up as quickly and safely as possible. Both of them had drawn their wands. 

As the dust slowly settled around them a tall, dark figure stepped over the body of Madam Rosemerta and entered the room. 

Teddy paled as Fletch Rogers came into full view.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Fletch drawled. As he looked between Teddy and Victoire. His eyes stopped on Victorie and he sickeningly looked her up and down. "Aren't you a pretty gem."

Victorie shuddered as Teddy moved between them and pushed Victoire back behind him. 

"What are you doing here?" Teddy questioned as his eyes narrowed at Fletch.

His eyes met Teddy's. "I want you to stop following me. I have plans and you have been continuously getting in my way boy!"

"It's my job to get in the way of people like you!" Teddy bravely spat out.

Fletch laughed. "You have no idea what you're doing!" He informed Teddy.

"What do you mean? Of course I do!" Teddy shouted back at him.

Victoire whimpered in the background as Fletch took a step closer to Teddy. "Really?" He laughed manically.

"You want to harm people, but you want to confused them with poly juice potion so you can get around the country easier." Teddy informed him. "But what I don't understand is, what are you doing here?"

Fletch moved forward and Victoire flinched again this time more subtly as Teddy met her eyes and twitched his nose. 

Fletch ignored this exchange as he began to pace broodingly in front of them.

Teddy knew that Victoire would understand what he meant by his nose twitching and when she flinched he knew that she had done what he had asked her to do.

A few years ago, when Teddy started his Auror training, they devised a way of silently communicating with one another using body language. When Teddy twitched his nose, it meant that he wanted her to use the summoning charm her father taught her to alert someone if she was ever caught in a sticky situation. 

So when Fletch moved forward, Victorie seized to opportunity to silently respond to Teddy, but also summon for help.

Teddy knew that the only way that they would get out of this was to keep Fletch talking.

"You never did answer me." He said after a few moments of silence. "What are you doing here?" He said in a more demanding tone.

Fletch stopped his pacing. "I came to Great Britain to get away from those who were hunting me down like a wild animal! I wanted solitude, but the moment I stepped foot on British soil, you and your Ministry twits started following me."

"I don't like being bothered!" He yelled gruffly as he began to pace again. 

"So why us and why now?" Victoire asked him plainly. 

"Why? Because your little friend has been following me. Want to know what the big secret is? I am going to break in to your filthy magical school and murder every single one of those sleeping children."

"All because I've been following you?" Teddy inquired raising an eyebrow as Victoire looked on in fear. He was confused. 'This guy is the notorious murderer everyone was going on about in Europe? He's a loony!' Teddy thought to himself.

Fletch nodded."You and your Ministry mongrels. Oh and the kicker is I am going to plant their murders on you! Maybe next time you'll think twice before you throw people around."

The hairs stood up on the back of his neck Teddy's neck and Victoire looked down as she felt something brush against her legs. Fletch began to laugh evilly.

"Rafferty!" She screamed as Teddy whipped around just in time to see his partner transforming back into a human. Unfortunately Teddy failed to notice that Rafferty was wielding a knife and just as Victoire screamed again, the knife punctured a deep hole into Teddy's chest. 

Victoire immediately cast a stunning charm on Rafferty which sent him flying back against the wall and knocking him unconscious. Just as she turned around to cast another at Fletch who was obviously slow to react, Harry came busting through the door sending a powerful stunning spell at him. 

He fell to the ground in what seemed like slow-motion and when his body hit, the thud that followed resonated off of the walls with a defining finality. 

Victoire rushed to Teddy's side as Harry instructed the other Auror's with him to take care of Fletch and Rafferty then went over to his godson's side.

Teddy coughed as Victoire settled herself behind his head and gently lifted it up into her lap. Tears spilled down her face as Harry put a hand on her shoulder to let her know he was there.

"How bad is it?" He whispered, but his voice faltered. 

Victoire's tear stained face and red, watery eyes met his and gave the smallest of nods. 

"Vic-Victoire?" Teddy muttered through the blood that was pooling in his lungs. 

"I'm right here Teddy." She replied to him in a feeble voice. 

His eyes followed her voice and came to rest on her beautifully sad face. "I-I-I love you always."

She smiled at him through her pain. "I love you always."

A few moments later, Teddy's chest stop rising and falling. Victoire began to sob uncontrollably with her uncle Harry there by her side as he cried with her. 

***

In the months that followed Teddy's death, many things had happened. Victoire attended the trials for Rafferty Pierce and Fletch Rogers who both found guilty for murder and received live sentences in Azkaban. The other two men with him the night Teddy was in Wales were found dead in the Forbidden Forest, presumably trying to find their way into Hogwarts. 

Victoire, with the help of her uncle Harry and aunt Hermione, set up "The Teddy Lupin Award" on which she will present this year on the first anniversary of his death, to those who are graduating out of the Auror Academy and beginning their careers in the Ministry. 

She has refused to take off her engagement ring.


End file.
